Vanishing Rural Georgia Art

Notes on Abandoned Rural America Exhibit

2012-01-20T06:32:00.000-08:00

Why I Planned This Show

Throughout my life I have marveled at the beauty of nature, been drawn to the time-worn lines of character in the faces and hands of older folks, was inspired by the mysteries in untamed woodlands and wetlands. When I was a kid growing up in the mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania I would hike for hours in the woods to explore old trails where I would discover old rock structures thought to have been created by Native Americans for shelter. Old farmhouses are kind of like that to me. A wonder of people’s past lives, now devoid of human development, at the mercy of the elements and left to the wiles of nature’s transmutations.

Some of the abandoned farm buildings were built so well that they would last for generations making one wonder why anyone would leave these houses empty and deserted. I can almost feel the spirits of the people who once settled in these rural buildings, visualize the children playing in the yards, husband chopping wood for the fire, wife preparing dinner for the family or working at the spinning wheel or sewing machine making clothes for them all. It occurs to me that the folks settling in these places had hopes and dreams for the future of their families and that they were possibly laying the foundation for future generations of their descendants to have an estate the family will always call their own and then have everything change direction forcing them to desert the homestead forever.

My grandparents came to America from the Ukraine and Russia in the early part of the twentieth century and worked hard to establish such a foundation for the Muzyka family. Unfortunately it didn’t work out that way and each of their children went their own way abandoning the family homestead. This has always affected the way that I view the loss of family ties and the vacant, sad and lonely structures that represent broken dreams. It is often said that the eyes are a window onto the world. I see the windows of these abandoned homes as eyes that have seen the lives of vibrant people gone away leaving behind the spirit of their hopes and dreams.

I‘ve invited 3 artist friends to participate in this opening exhibition. Possibly in the future, if this show is accepted and travels to other areas, I may be able to invite other artists to participate as well as add new works to the exhibition.

This book and exhibit is dedicated to the memory of all the dreamers and planners whose prospects for the future were irrevocably changed leaving behind an ethereal visage of what once might have been.

The Seasons Section of ARA

2012-01-13T07:56:00.000-08:00

Another book and show section for the Abandoned Rural America exhibition will be highlighting the seasons. Various photographs and paintings will be dedicated to showing the rural scene, especially containing old abandoned rural buildings during the 4 seasons. I believe that displaying the beauty of the rural landscape along with the vanishing culture puts an engrossing perspective on the imagery that we might otherwise overlook.

Here are the opening pages to the Seasons section:

Abandoned Rural America Part 4

2012-01-08T04:39:00.000-08:00

Traveling Section of the ARA Book and Exhibit

Here are the opening pages from the section on abandoned farmhouses outside of Georgia that are part of the exhibit. I:m also considering doing some large (24“ x 48“) posters for the show to be available for sale to exhibit attendees. I'm really interested in feedback on this as it takes a lot of ink and archival paper to produce these large prints and have them mounted to foam board etc. So, if you think that you or a friend may attend and be interested in seeing or purchasing an oversized poster on the show, please send me an email or make a comment on my blog site. Also, all 4 of us (me, Blake Smith, Don Jolley, and Chuck Dyer) would love to get feedback about the exhibit either through this blog or during the exhibit in Milledgeville - March 25- April 20 2012). Copies of the book will be for sale and I plan to include a copy of the DVD video to anyone who purchases a book. Not sure of the price yet but I will post it when it becomes available.

A teaser trailer of the ARA video can be viewed on YouTube here: AbandonedRuralAmerica–trailer
If the link gets broken you can view the trailer by doing a search on You Tube for Abandoned Rural America trailer.

Abandoned Rural America update

2012-01-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!
Here's hoping it is a lot more prosperous and uplifting than 2011.
These following pages are from the section of the Abandoned Rural America book about rural Georgia. By no means do they represent all of what is in the book, or images that will comprise the show. The exhibit will have much more imagery and information. If you click on any of these images, they should enlarge on your computer screen.

Abandoned Rural America

2011-12-20T06:04:00.000-08:00

Artists Profiles for ARA Show

Here are profiles of the 4 artists included in the Abandoned Rural America show. All of us, like most Americans, have connections to the rural life in our earliest years. This may be a significant factor in our art and photography choices. I've tried to present an insight into our personal lives so that viewers can gain a perspective on our connection to the show elements. Please email me and let me know what you think about this presentation. petermuzyka0@gmail.com

Abandoned Rural America Exhibit

2011-12-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

I plan to exhibit the works of myself, Blake Smith, Don Jolley, and Charles Dyer in Milledgeville, GA beginning March 25th 2012. Here is a preview of what to expect. I will be posting more images and information as the exhibition develops.

Georgia In Bloom 2011

2011-02-16T09:08:00.000-08:00

Hi All

It has been too long since my last blog effort. My time has been wrapped-up doing everything from commercial work to tending to necessary family matters. Now it's time for me to get busy with the important element in my life (besides my wonderful wife and family of course), and that is to work on my painting and art projects.
Part of this is the Madison Artists Guild projects. I've been putting together a newsletter for the past several months with the help of our officers and other members and friends. You can view a couple at our MAG website here. And it's getting close to springtime when we artists in Madison Georgia invite other artists in the region to participate in the annual Georgia in Bloom Art Fest. For those interested in participating or at least visiting the GIB Art Fest you can download a copy of the prospectus below. Or you can email me at peterjewelmz@bellsouth.net for a PDF copy.
See you soon with some new artwork.

Pete

Pigments Information

2010-10-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Pigments Through the Ages

http://www.webexhibits.org/pigments/

One of the most valuable resources that I have discovered on the internet to aid in my egg tempera painting is the website "Pigments Through the Ages". This site is a very comprehensive look at artists' pigments, the history of their use, their manufacture, their properties, toxicity, etc. It even has an interactive page that allows the user to go to a pigment (through a color bar) and it will take you to that pigment's complete analysis pages. I suggest that anyone truly interested in painting should examine this website and those serious about their art should keep this bookmarked on their computer browser. After you examine the pages let me know what you think. I find it exciting and exhilarating to be able to examine artist pigments so carefully. I hope that you will feel the same.

A New Painting Approach

2010-10-12T06:42:00.000-07:00

Painting with a Knife

As most of my readers know, the painting technique which I am most known for and my preferred way of creating art is with egg tempera. Once in a while I will do pen and ink drawings as finished art and occasionally I will paint in oils or do a pastel painting. I decided to really loosen up on a current painting by working in oils with a painting knife, exclusively. Not as a textural add-on but as a completed work. Being a stickler for glazing technique and a lot of detail, painting an impression of a scene with a knife in a highly textured style was new to me.

Back in June I had taken a seminar in preparing work for high end galleries. The instructor was Jason Horejs from the Xanadu Contemporary Fine Art Gallery in Phoenix, AZ. He had a wealth of helpful and interesting things to say about organizing on

e's work and preparing portfolios etc. but one of the most interesting thing

s that I felt he proposed was, as artists we should study and develop

work in different mediums and styles than we are comfortable with. Not necessarily to change our direction of work but to experience new and interesting ways to produce art. Than when we return to our regular art routine, we can bring new ideas to the table. Now I am preparing to get working on some new egg temperas and hope that experiencing different technique will bring new excitement to my egg tempera creations.

I am including a copy of my painting knife oil along with

an egg tempera so that you can see the difference between the styles with a similar subject. Let me know what you think.

New Egg Tempera Class in Madison, GA

2010-09-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

I will be instructing a 6 week class in egg tempera technique beginning October 7th, 2010.

Lake Oconee Living Nominee

2010-09-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

Hello friend

I have just found out that I have been nominated for "best artist" in the Lake Oconee region. What an honor! Here is the complete text to the email:

Dear Pete,

Congratulations!

You have been nominated for “Best Artist” in the Lake Oconee region. This means you are eligible to win a 2010 Readers’ Choice Best of Lake Oconee Award.

All nominees will be listed on our Website, and the contest will be publicized in our holiday issue. The magazine’s online poll will open on September 3, closing for the final tally on October 8. Lake Oconee Living plans to feature the Best of Lake Oconee in our winter issue, which comes out in January 2011. Be sure to cast your votes between September 3 – October 8 at www.LakeOconeeLivingMag.com.

To help you garner votes during this exciting competition, we’ve attached a flyer, which you may print to mail or post at your place of business. You may also be interested in advertising in our holiday issue to attract votes from our readers. For more information about advertising, please call Bob Hogan at 706.342.7440.

Good Luck!

Ramsey Nix, Editor

Lake Oconee Living Magazine

Egg Tempera Class for 2010

2010-08-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

I am teaching a class in Egg Tempera beginning October 7 in Madison, Georgia. Here is the announcement.

A more detailed description plus materials list can be downloaded from my website at this url: http://www.petermuzyka.com/newshowsandclasses.html

Madison Artists Guild Workshop

2010-06-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Art Slideshow

2010-05-09T03:59:00.000-07:00

Hi visitor

Here is a slideshow of my posted artwork. If you click on the show you will go to my online order website. Hope that you enjoy the views.

Thanks for stopping by

Pete

SLIDESHOW LINK

Developing a Mural for a Region

2010-03-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

Atchison Kansas Hospital Mural

Last year I began a collaborative effort with a local graphic designer, Peg Harvard of Harvard Graphics, in developing a mural for the new lobby of the Atchison, Kansas Hospital.

They were looking for someone with a knowledge of graphics as well as good drawing skills to produce a mural design that would be etched into glass on 4 panels.

First we came up with

a rough idea of the mural layout

using a fluid motion left to right to convey the feeling of traveling through time.

Next we worked on a 4 panel pencil drawing depicting what we envisioned the mural to look like. Using each panel as a kind of time line from left to right, we included the prairies with bison and old time windmills, Lewis & Clark, the city hall building and farmlands in the back, Amelia Earhart, the aviation pioneer and her family home, a train representing the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe, a grain elevator and the Kansas crops of corn, wheat and sunflowers, as well as Kansas celebrity John Cameron Swayse.

After submitting the sketches, we waited several weeks until a committee began suggesting changes including

adding a conestoga wagon, taking out the Earhart home

and adding the original hospital, adding a clinic building and changing JCS to the Cray Diabetes Management Center founder.

After consulting with Peg who was the director on this project, I decided to continue the final art production work in egg tempera on 4 panels. That would give the mural the detail that was needed and could later be built upon in color. Each panel was scanned into my computer and we prepared the 4 panels as digital files for the glass etcher in Kansas.

Finally after approval the images were sent on disk as both negative and positive files for the etcher to use. And the result was an almost 3 dimensional piece of etched glass art thanks to the etcher who separated elements of the mural to be placed in front while the background was etched in the back of the glass.

Here you can see a couple detail image areas from the panel art and finally the actual glass etching in the lobby of the hospital in Atchison.

Visions of America Opening

2010-02-28T13:16:00.000-08:00

New Show Opening in Union Point Georgia

After months of preparation my new show "Visions of America" has finally opened at the Point of Art Gallery in Union Point GA. Most of the folks who know and have collected my works over the years expect more works in egg tempera, primarily of old farmhouses, barns, etc. Well, long before I began painting in egg tempera (for about 30 years now), as well as concentrating on the Georgia farmlands and buildings, I painted mostly in oils and alkyds. And I usually painted nature scenes as well as portraits on commission including the late actor Jack Palance.

For this new show I decided to take a painting holiday to places that my wife Jewel and I had visited over the years. I used old photos and sketches I had done of the Tetons, Acadia National Park, Florida coast, my growing up place in Pennsylvania and, of course Georgia too as my inspiration for this current crop of paintings.

The reception proved that my peers and fans liked the looser oils painted with both brush and knife. Many questions were posed about why I now paint with oils but the truth is, I like switching between oils, egg tempera, pen and ink, pastel, charcoal. Both my mood and the subject matter dictates to me what medium I'll use. Over the years I've tried almost all available painting and drawing mediums and I like them all for different reasons. The egg tempera and pen and inks allow me to do great detail while the oils, pastel, charcoal help me to get more expressive. I painted the Anna Ruby Falls painting mostly with a pallet knife (I didn't have a painting knife available). What fun that was. I am currently working on a sister painting to it with Tulula Gorge as the main subject.

Well, anyway, I appreciate the fans of my work including constructive critical remarks, and I am always thrilled when I sell a painting. Sold 3 during the opening. The Point of Art Gallery owners, Anne Jenkins and Lee Nelson really know how to generate interest in their exhibiting artists work. Anne is an accomplished painter herself and whenever any art lover visits the Gallery, they are treated to a new show and Anne's great paintings. This is a great place to see art and get information on the Georgia Lake Country area.

Visions of America Show

2010-02-06T04:54:00.000-08:00

New Art Show in Union Point Georgia

I have a new one-man show opening later this month at the Point of Art Gallery in Union Point Georgia just north of Lake Oconee. Here is the formal press release plus a teaser of the new show images in postcard form.

THE POINT OF ART GALLERY

604 Sibley Ave., PO Box 202, Union Point, GA 30669

Tel: (706) 486-6808 www.ThePointofArt.net

*********PRESS RELEASE*********

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Anne Jenkins, artist owner

Tel (706) 486 6808

Madison artist “Peter Muyzka’s Visions of America” Show at The Point of Art Gallery

The Point of Art Gallery & Studio in historic downtown Union Point proudly announces a one man exhibit and sale of art by a local Madison artist opening Thursday, 25 February. The show, Peter Muzyka’s Visions of America, is the result of months of painting and preparation by Muzyka.

"It's really exciting to host this show for Peter- he is an inspirational artist of immense talent." Jenkins said. "It’s an honor to show his latest body of work with such an intensely personal theme.”

Muzyka said he was born with a love of travel. When he was one month old, his mother took him across the country by bus from his birthplace in Fresno, California to Northeast Pennsylvania where he grew up. He lived on a farm during his early years and was raised to love the land.

“I have always had a deep appreciation and respect for nature.” Muzyka noted. “Whenever I could, I would travel to state and national parks. I would hike trails, fish streams and take photographs and sketch when possible.”

This series of paintings is different from Muzyka’s works of old farm buildings and farm landscapes, Jenkins said. It is a homage to the beauty and wonder he found in his travels. He has painted scenes of the foothills and mountains of the Grand Tetons to the coastal rocks and seashores of Maine, Georgia and Florida; waterfalls in Pennsylvania and Georgia, plus the Georgia and Florida marshlands.

Muzyka said this special show is dedicated to the wonder he has found in the country's natural landscape. It is a celebration of America's beauty.

The reception with Muzyka in attendance is open to the public and is from 6:00 - 8:00+ p.m. on Thursday, 25 February and the show will close Saturday, 3 April at 5:00 p.m. The gallery is at 604 Sibley Ave, Union Point. For more information, call (706) 486-6808 or go to www.ThePointofArt.net.

Georgia's Vanishing Rural Culture

2009-06-09T14:40:00.000-07:00

27 years ago, just after I moved to Georgia, I noticed that many of the rural farmhouses and barns were in great disrepair. It wasn't long before many of these structures collapsed and were lost from the landscape forever. I felt a calling to document these old rural structures before the landscape changed forever. This little video is an initial attempt to show, in art, these structures as well as the animals that inhabit the land. Eventually I plan to do a more comprehensive video with photos, paintings and dialog. I hope that you enjoy this presentation.

Rite of Passsage Reception

2009-03-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

Another well attended art reception brings art lovers from all over the region

The Point of Art Gallery hosted the show "Rite of Passage" at their Union Point location.

It was an exciting evening! An invited selection of Georgia artists with their interpretations of “Rite of Passage” were present at the show opening on Thursday, March 19. The “Meet the artists” reception went from 6:00-8:00 p.m but actually lasted longer. Wine was served and Chef Doug Janousek catered the nibbles.

What also made it extra special was that the opening reception was filmed by UGA’s School of Journalism students studying film. The end results will be premiered in a 22-minute presentation for Athens and the surrounding area at the State of Georgia’s Technology & Tourism conference in April.

One of the evening's interesting events was a demonstration by talented artist, Wendy Wiggins of Lexington, who demonstrated how she creates glass beads and wraps them in silver for dramatic, fun and beautiful jewelry. Wendy uses a blow torch which was interesting to watch. Wendy's lively personality made the demonstration more enjoyable watching her work and finding out all about the ancient method of working with glass that she employs.

The artists' work comprising the show were from David Siffert of Greensboro, me, Peter Muzyka of Madison, David Boyd, Jnr, of Gay, Margaret Warfield of Oxford, Laura Connely of Washington, Jan Whyllson of Greensboro and Bob Hart of Athens. Each artist uses a different medium and our unique styles added an interesting mix, excitement and interest to the show. Laura Connely is not only a visual artist but also a musician and song writer and provided the entertainment with a selection of guitar music and songs of her own compositions.

More information can be had by visiting or calling the gallery: http://thePointofArt.net (706) 486-6808

Rite of Passage

2009-03-19T03:54:00.000-07:00

Preparing for a special new show

A few weeks ago I was asked to participate in a new show in Union Point Georgia with the theme "Rite of Passage". The concept of this show was to show how the participating artists have developed as an artist over the years. What we did or are doing that is indicative of growth to another level. I am showing the stages of one of the pieces that I had entered into this new show.

Rite of Passage opens tonight, March 19th and I've included a press release at the end of this blog post.

Here is my artists statement concerning the show:
From Things to Ideas, My "Rite of Passage as an Artist Throughout my life I have been compelled to put down the things that moved me on paper, canvas, or panel. Sometimes video. When I was very young I experimented with images, colors, mediums with little regard to technique or competence. As an adult I studied the great art masters, read books on technique, style, composition, etc. but was hampered from producing my best work because of a lack of focus. In 2007 I left formal work as an art director and graphic designer to pursue my desire to become a fine artist. I am still learning but now my direction is to depict the things that move me with better compositions and style. I do most of my creations in egg tempera but instead of focusing on the detail in things, I am working towards more powerful designs in my paintings. There is a new side of my work evolving with broader patterns and more compelling compositions. I dedicate this new body of work to my wonderful wife Jewel who has been my muse for the past 40 years.

Anne Jenkins, the owner and curator of the Point of Art Gallery in Union Point Georgia had been recently awarded the governor's award for her work promoting Georgia art and artists. Here is a photo of her with the award in her gallery.

Here are the painting stages for the painting "Dancers on Clouds" that is part of the show.

I always begin with a detailed drawing of the image that I intend to paint. At that time I revise the layout and design to a point where I feel that the image reflects the feeling I want to impart with the painting.

The next stage is an under painting that sets the tone for the overall work. In this painting of Georgia trees in a Spring snow, I wanted a warm glow coming through the cold snow so I used a warm tone for the underpainting.

The next steps are painting in the broad patterns of color that pull the image together.

And finally I work in all the details that bring the image to life.

And the final painting:
Dancers on Clouds

egg tempera on panel, 24" x 18"

And the Press Release for the show:

“RITE OF PASSAGE” ART RECEPTION

The “Rite of Passage” exhibit and sale of art at The Point of Art Gallery opens Thursday, March 19 with a reception open to the public from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and runs through 28 May. The opening reception will be filmed by UGA’s School of Journalism students studying film. The end results will be premiered in a 22-minute advertisement for Athens and the surrounding area at the State of Georgia’s Technology and Tourism conference in April.

“It‘s a great chance to showcase Union Point and, for the gallery, our talented artists to the world.”
Anne Jenkins, owner of the gallery said. “We’ve all painted new works and it is a fabulous show.”

An additional interesting demonstration at the opening will be glass artist, Wendy Wiggins of Lexington, producing glass beads in an ancient method of glass work for jewelry. She makes each bead using a blow-torch and it is fascinating to watch her work, Jenkins added.

The participating artists are David Siffert of Greensboro, Peter Muzyka of Madison, David Boyd, Jnr, of Gay, Margaret Warfield of Oxford, Laura Connely of Washington, Jan Whyllson of Greensboro, Bob Hart of Athens and Jenkins. Each artist uses a different medium and their styles are all unique which will add an excitement and interest to the show, Jenkins said.

Connely is not only a visual artist but also a musician and song writer. She will be providing the entertainment with a selection of guitar music of her own compositions.

The Point of Art Gallery is located at 604 Sibley Ave, Union Point. The “Meet the Artists” reception is on Thursday, March 19 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Meet the artists, hear their stories and buy affordable, fine art from local artists.

For more information, call (706) 486-6808

Commissions and Collages

2009-02-09T11:05:00.000-08:00

Working on an Egg Tempera Collage

Like most artists, I prefer to develop my own creative vision. There are times however when an art project comes along and it is either the right fit or an artist is compelled to take the project as a challenge. So it was with a recent piece of art I was asked to create for a departing pastor of an area church. The congregation wanted to give him something to remember the church by. The pastor had been with the church for 23 years ministering to its people and was the catalyst for many things that improved the lives of its members. The church had developed many family oriented additions at the pastor's direction. So, the first thought was to create a painting of the church. Then it was brought up that it would be a special memory for the pastor to be able to see the inside church elements that he helped build. And, tying all this together would be a portrait of the minister to show his relationship to the church.

I tackled the job with the expectation to produce an egg tempera piece that would be able to be handed down for generations to the pastor's family. And, with egg tempera, the piece would not need to be matted or glass added. This would make it easier for packing and moving with no breakage.

I started with a sketch to present to members of the church that would reflect the composition I intended to paint. In the composition I placed the church structure at the bottom as an anchor for the entire piece. The trees and grass would provide what we normally consider to be a solid ground in the painting. Then I placed the pastor in the center with the Sanctuary on the right of the painting and the Fellowship Hall which was an important addition during the pastor's tenure on the painting's right side. The vaulted ceiling on each would be pointing heaven-ward. And the stained glass windows on both sides would help frame the pastor.

After approval with some minor modifications, I began to produce the actual painting. After applying the sketch to the panel, I painted in the lines and shadows with dark egg tempera paint and then began applying an under painting of burnt sienna and yellow ocher for a warm tone base.

Then I began work on the portrait as that part of the painting was the most critical and the most challenging as I did not know the pastor personally. This took many hours of work until I felt fairly comfortable with the likeness. After that I started to add the grass and work on the complete church part of the painting.

After I completed the church to my satisfaction I began work on the inside area at the top of the painting.

When I completed the top sections I went back over the entire painting cleaning up details and finalizing the painting. The entire process- a little over 40 hours of work.

The most extensive painting collage I did was of selected structures in the city of Monroe Georgia in 2005. There were over 30 buildings, I added birds and wildlife, flowers and hqand painted type elements. That was challenging and took a couple months to produce including taking refernce photographs, etc.

Georgia's Winter Colors

2009-01-09T14:59:00.000-08:00

The Georgia Winter Landscape is Suffused With Color

One of the things that I noticed when I moved to Georgia in 1982 was that in winter the landscape is more
colorful than any place I had been. As the photos that I've included here, from tall yellow/red grasses, multi-colored trees, the reddish earth all contribute to a beautiful winter landscape. And, when the sky is clear, the striking blue contrasted with these yellows, reds, greens make for a most uplifting view.

I decided to paint a couple of scenes with the winter colors here in Georgia as the theme and, of course, an old abandoned farmhouse as the centerpiece. I looked to my favorite painting place, the Nolan Corners section near Bostwick, Georgia, as my focal point. After taking many reference photos, I began a sketch directly on my painting panel in water soluble pencil. Then, as my usual practice dictates, I worked on a painted sketch using egg tempera black made with ultramarine blue and burnt umber pigments.

After completing the composition in black on the pre-painted panel I begin adding broad areas of color. This is a broad color lay-in that lays a foundation for the final colors and detail that will come later.

The next couple of stages help refine the color scheme where I paint in the various sections of the piece with reds, yellows, blues, greens and maake some decisions about shadows and highlights in the work.

And then I begin to add the many details that will draw the viewer into the image and hold their interest. From the boards that are exposed on the building to the bricktex covering that is rapidly deteriorating to the rocks in the chimney and rusted tin on the roof.

Lastly I glaze color over the image to finalize the warm winter color scheme that I had chosen for this piece.

The original painting can be seen at the Arts on the Avenue Gallery in Macon Georgia where some of my newest paintings are being shown.

ART ON THE AVENUE Fine Art Gallery and Studio
2368 Ingleside Avenue
Macon, Georgia 31204
478.743.3720

http://maconartontheavenue.com/

My other egg tempera paintings of Georgia landscapes and farm buildings can be seen at the Point of Art Gallery in Union Point and the Art Gallery LaPlace in Washington, Georgia and at the James Madison Inn in Madison.

Painting Cows

2008-12-20T11:49:00.000-08:00

Herefords in Georgia

Those of you who know my work usually see my paintings of old farm buildings in egg tempera.
Well, along with rural farms there are the crops and animals that you may find on those farms. I have painted cows off-and-on since I was a kid and once in a while I get the urge to do a painting of these stalwart animals. I've just completed an oil painting commission of Herefords for some folks and I'm also working on a couple egg tempera cow paintings for a future show.

Here is a sequence of steps that I take to paint in oils:

First I prepare a pencil sketch on paper to determine composition :

Then, when I'm pleased with the design, I begin working up the basics of the layout in paint on the canvas (or panel):

Then I work up the painting in many stages and glazed layers:

And then the final details and color adjustments:

My work on egg tempera paintings is similar. Working on panels with egg tempera pigments gives me the opportunity to be as detailed as I want or fairly loose with my painting technique. One of the main differences is the need to keep the egg tempera layers thin and that keeps the paint fairly transparent. It can make the piece glow with color.

Here are a couple of initial cow layouts for an egg tempera painting that will be completed in a couple of weeks.

And a black egg tempera wash created using burnt umber and ultramarine blue pigments:

Check back in early January to see some completed egg tempera cow paintings. Thank you for reviewing my blog entry and Happy Holidays!

The Everchanging Rural Georgia Scene

2008-11-15T13:16:00.000-08:00

My Favorite Painting Spot

It wasn't long after moving to Georgia in 1982 before I found the one spot that inspired me to paint the Vanishing Rural Georgia scene. Just north of Madison, near the town of Bostwick Georgia stood an old abandoned plantation complete with a plantation mansion, overseer's house, barns and sharecroppers shacks. The main house was slowly being repainted after decades of neglect and most of the out buildings were disintegrating.
I drew a pencil of the overseers house which was never photographed and long since sold.
Then I painted the "Window on Georgia" piece showing the beginning of the repainting process while showing the sharecropper sheds in the front and reflecting an old house in the back. I followed this painting by "Out Behind the House" of an old tool shed that was in back of the main mansion.

The tool shed collapsed a couple of years after my painting was completed in 1984 leaving only the roof on the ground for a couple of years before that too disappeared. One by one the out buildings disintegrated while the main mansion, now repainted, started falling apart too. A large branch fell through the roof around 1990 and rain poured in for many months before the roof was repaired. Windows have been broken and although the building has been used in the movie "The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All" and in several commercials as well as in the short lived television series "Vanished", no one has restored the building to livable status and soon I believe, it will also collapse.

I've painted and drew the sharecroppers' shacks on a few occasions and one painting, "Gone But Not Forgotten" won a best in show award in 2007.

All-in-all, the Nolan Corners area has been good for my artistic temperament and helped me create some of my most memorable works. I hope that the vanishing rural scene in Georgia doesn't vanish too quickly. I believe that I still have a few paintings left to do of this fascinating theme. And I'm still looking for that one scene that will make the ultimate statement on the rural farmhouse of the past.

My Favorite Painting Spot

2008-11-15T12:34:00.000-08:00

The Ever Changing Georgia Landscape

When I moved my family to Georgia in 1982 it didn't take long to find the one spot that would inspire me to paint the Vanishing Rural Georgia scene. It was Nolan Corners near Bostwick Georgia where an old plantation house and sharecropper shacks were still in existence. Since I began drawing and painting the various buildings surrounding the area, one-by-one they have been disappearing. The first to fall down and get hauled off was the tool shed that I named "Out Behind the House". That vanished around 1986 when the shed collapsed leaving only the roof for a year or so, then that too was gone.
The main plantation house was being renovated and I captured the partial repainting in "Window on Georgia" in 1984. Since then the entire house has been painted bit not renovated. A tree limb went through the roof in the early 90's and rain entered the building for many months. Some of the glass windows have been broken and, although the building still stands, it won't be too long before it's eventual collapse.
The sharecropper's shack that I painted in "Gone But Not Forgotten" collapsed months after I painted the window and I was compelled to do the complete building from an old photos I had taken.
I have also completed a couple pen and ink drawings of the Nolan buildings and a pencil that I did of the overseers' home for the Nolan family never was photographed. There are still a couple buildings left and the lay of the land still makes an interesting landscape scene. I know that, when the old plantation mansion goes, it will surely be the end of an era.

Fine Art vs Graphic Design

2008-10-26T03:04:00.000-07:00

Fine Art vs Graphic Design

"Or...why I decided to leave the graphic design industry"

When I was very, very young I loved to draw. I would draw pictures of battles between soldiers and spacemen, pictures of airplanes and ships at sea, drawings of people that I knew, coal miners that played cards with my dad, copies of pictures from National Geographic, animals on the farm and in the field, and sometimes landscapes. This all began when I was around 6 or 7. My grandparents had a hotel with some regular boarders. Some would make fun of my constantly drawing, others encouraged me. My own family didn't hold too much with art. They felt it was a waste of time. But, all-in-all, I just loved to draw. And eventually I took to painting too. The one thing that I loved best with this creative process is that I got to express myself. My feelings about the character in faces, the beauty and grace of animals, the wonder of the texture and colors in landscape. When I was a teenager I knew some fellow students that were better than me, Richard Krukowski, Patrick Murphy, and probably others. But I still got to create what moved me, no matter how good or bad the work may have been.

When I was in the military I often used my skills to create art for my friends, for my duty station, for the people that I met in foreign lands. I even used my artistic skills to woo my to-be wife Jewel when I was in Vietnam in the late 60's. As I did more, I improved my skills to the point that I felt I could make a career from my art and live happily ever after. At the encouragement of my wife I left the military after over 11 years to go to art school and change the course of my life. Well, while I was still in art school I was offered a job as art director for a Northeast Pennsylvania ad agency. With a family of 4 to look after I took the job right after graduation. It didn't take long to realize that graphic art was considerably different than fine art. First off you had to please a client, not yourself. To do that you often had to compromise your personal aesthetic tastes and quite often you were required by the customer to cram a bunch of stuff into a small space. It became more a matter of fitting things in than quality design. But, by that time I became dependant on the income from graphic design and had to often give up my personal design sense.

Move forward over 30 years. I've worked as an art director 3 times, an ad manager 1 time, and a small business owner 3 times, all in the graphics industry. Once in a while I was able to actually affect the outcome of the design beyond a customers input. Some customers even actually encouraged me to go-ahead and design something my way. That got me several design awards over the years. But it still didn't satisfy the desire to express my own creativity as much as drawing and painting from my heart.

Last year I made the leap, from graphic designer to fine art artist. I've had several shows since last October, some successful financially, some not so. BUT, all of the shows got accolades from the guests, even my fellow artists. Much more rewarding than the Graphics Industry.

I still get requests from people who know that I am adept at graphic design, especially on the computer. I find that the time I spend on the computer designing graphic pieces is far too time consuming for the meager rewards that are gleaned. When I draw and paint from my heart, no matter what I might make financially, the real reward is the pleasure I get from doing the art piece. Working on graphic designs take time away from my paintings and working in my favorite medium, egg tempera takes a great deal of time to produce the delicate details and glowing colors that only come through multiple layers of glazing. Therefore I only take on graphic design jobs that help friends in the industry or that are needed for charity.

Just one more note on this subject. For most of my adult life, wherever I worked, on Christmas I would give a piece of my personal art to a fellow employee, even in the military I did this. I loved to see the smiles on the faces of my fellow workers, and friends. About 18 years ago, a fellow worker had a baby a few months before the holiday season. I secretly did a pastel drawing of her little baby boy and when we were exchanging gifts at Christmas, I gave it to her. She cried, and cried. For hours she would take the piece around the workplace and show everyone, and cry from joy. Well, sometimes I get thousands of dollars for a painting. Not matter what I may get financially, nothing could be more rewarding than the reaction of a fellow human being when they are happy with the gift of my personal creativity.

More than a match for working on graphic design projects.

Union Point Show Opening

2008-10-10T13:38:00.000-07:00

Art Show Opening
or
Does the Current Economy Affects the Arts

Well, last night was the opening for the Point of Art “Rural Georgia & the Vanishing South” show. It started at 6 pm and lasted until after 8. Many of the artists' friends and art lovers from the region showed up to give their support to this interesting show. Besides myself, many other artists came to the show including Nan McGarity, Judy Phlagar, Sally Ross, Chris Mitts, Robert Battle, Ronald Moore, David Siffert's wife Maria, Jan Whyllson, Will Eskridge, Leonard Jones and of course Anne Jenkins, gallery owner. And...the chef that created the book "Home Cookin' Illustrated", Doug Janousek. Doug has created a great regional book centered around great home cooking recipes and the art works and bios of regional artists, many of which were showing art pieces at the exhibit. You can see Doug's website and get a copy of his book at: www.home-cookin.net.

The show will be up until November 8. Be sure to visit the gallery - they're open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 am til 5 pm, or by appointment any other day. Just call (706) 486-6808.

As you can see by the attached photos, there was a very eclectic viewpoint of what rural Georgia means to each artist. It makes for a fascinating show with works that range from pottery to paintings, realistic and detailed views of rural living to very impressionistic works that lend excitement a vibrant colors to the rural scene. Nan McGarity's plein air works showed a freshness and immediacy to the landscape, Daavid Siffert's dynamic pieces have a feeling of a rural fantacy world, while Wayne Collins' pottery pieces reflected what rural living is like with his wonderful gourds. Anne Jenkins' pieces are a reflection of the natural feelings you get while traveling through the rural area. Robery Battle's paintings lend a special feeling of brilliant colors to the Georgia farm country. All-in-all you will find a wonderful blend of character and beauty in all of the works on display. It is well worth the trip out to Union Point.

And, as a last note, why put hard earned dollars into the saagging stock market when you can own a fine pieces of art from creative people whose personal creations will only appreciate in value as time goes on.

October Art Musings

2008-10-07T16:14:00.000-07:00

Creating Art For Autumn Shows

It's been an interesting summer with my preparation of pen and ink drawings for the Lyndon House "Common Structures" show in July-August. Doing black and white drawings was so apropos for the summer months here in Georgia. Such heavy green colors in the hot weather needed some stark pen and ink work to add a coolness to the art atmosphere. Now however we are entering the fall months and I have a showing of my new pieces at the Point of Art Gallery in Union Point starting the 9th of October and running through the 8th of November.

What to do to set up for up the autumn season? This show is entitled "Rural Georgia and the Vanishing South". The choice of Anne Jenkins, the gallery owner, not mine. It is so fitting for me since the name of my company is Vanishing Rural Georgia Art. There are several artists represented and they have all produced pieces that reflect the
southern rural heritage. Every artist is different and their
work reflects their diverse disciplines. An eclectic array of Southern art. The artists that will be showing with me at the Point of Art Gallery include Anne Jenkins, Nan McGarity, Ronald Moore, Will Estridge, and David Siffert. I feel great to be part of this group of fine artists.

Well, my work on these new paintings began in early September when I traveled to see my folks in Pennsylvania and brought along one of the pieces that I began to work on. That one ended up being my painting "On The Blocks" It was fun doing a painting where the sky is ominous and threatening while the sun is still shinning on the foreground. That was only one of several new paintings that I did in egg tempera especially for this show.

Working in egg tempera has always been a fairly slow process for me and I usually don't complete more than 6 pieces in a year, Not like the pen and inks where I did over 20 in a month and a half. This time however, I disciplined myself to work hard and long. I completed 7 new paintings in under 6 weeks. A major feat as I was sick with flu like symptoms for over 10 of those days. Well, that being said, I can only hope that fans of my work will like what they see. Even if their budget doesn't permit them to purchase an original egg tempera, I will have limited edition Giclée prints available after the show closes in early November.

Let me know what you think of my newest pieces. I am also working on 5 more egg tempera pieces and have 3 large oils in the wings.

Thanks for reading my blog.

Pete

August Travels

2008-09-09T03:44:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader

It's been awhile since I last posted to my blog. Please forgive my absence as I was involved in many things this last month.

I've returned from a trip up north to visit and help my elderly parents around the house. They live in the mountains of Pennsylvania in a little place called Bear Creek where I spent much of my youth before heading off on my own. It is the place that I first really got the bug to create artworks. We lived on a farm that we rented back then and I learned many skills growing up in that environment that have helped me over the years in taking care of a house, developing good work habits and surviving just about anything. I remember once when I was about 12 when my father took me in the woods hunting. After walking several miles and going down many trails he disappeared from view. After awhile I became nervous and started heading back along the last trail that we hiked. I came across a split in the trail and was unsure which path to take. In a few moments I felt lost and disoriented and was alarmed thinking I wouldn't make it back again. That is when my dad stepped from behind a tree and I knew that he would never let me get lost but taught me to always check where I was going so that I could find my way back again. What a lesson.

Sometimes life felt a bit harsh living with my dad. He was strict and expected a lot from us kids. I left home when I was only 17, partly because of his critical nature, but I did end up going back to college eventually and the skills he taught me helped me to survive in Vietnam as well as cope with the difficulties you encounter in life. The older I get, the more I appreciate these things. My dad is difficult to talk to and I only wish I could tell him that I do appreciate the lessons I learned under his guidance.

While I was there I began work on a new egg tempera painting but had to postpone working on it as there was much that needed doing around my parents' house.

When I think back, I suppose that my creativity comes mostly from my mother's side of the family, but my surviving skills, ability to cope in almost any life situation, and to stand up for my values and argue for what I believe in comes from my dad (and mom too). Another thing, there are many wind turbines on the mountain ridge very near to my parents' house. No noticeable noise and there doesn't seem to be a problem with the natural habitat for birds etc. either.

I also visited my bother Paul who lives on a parcel of land behind my parents property. Paul is also creative and built his own house as well as Koi ponds, deck, some furniture, etc. while both Paul and his wife Sally enjoy working with plants and exotic fish.

Now that I'm back in Georgia I am putting my painting skills to good use and have been working on 10 new egg tempera paintings of rural Georgia. I've been re-inspired to create new pieces that reflect what I love about the Georgia farm scene. It reminds me of growing up on a farm and the wonders that you will find there.

July Travels

2008-07-31T02:37:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader

This last week has been a traveling week (again) for Jewel and me. We took the opportunity to visit our dear friend Beth Rentz who had moved to Thomasville Georgia last year. Although we've known Beth for over 20 years, we hadn't seen her in about 16 years. We've kept in touch with telephone calls, cards and letters. Beth is a traveling soul who had worked with me when I had been the advertising manager at Wellington Leisure Products in the 80's. After I had left to pursue a new career path, Beth left also and went to work in such places as the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque, Alaska where she stayed 2 years and took care of physically challenged children, The University of Michigan and in Wisconsin where she grew up. We were exceedingly happy when we learned that she would be moving to Georgia where it would be relatively easy to visit her.

Beth's enthusiasm for what she does and where she settles is unmatched. Thomasville is no exception. When we first arrived it wasn't long before she spirited us on a tour of the city and it was immediately evident that she was very knowledgeable about all the area had to offer. From houses and mansions that graced the area to museums, farmers market (the second largest in Georgia), walking trails, flower gardens, cultural center and more, Beth knew them all. Since she had only moved there less than a year ago and worked in Tallahassee Florida, 30 some miles away, she was obviously excited about her new community and it was infectious.

While there, Jewel and I visited the market, saw many of the landmarks in the city, traveled to close communities where I took photos for future Vanishing Rural Georgia art pieces, the fantastic Pebble Hill plantation which was a sporting center in the 1900's and which housed a great collection of artworks representing the shooting sports as well as Audubon's great bird paintings, Jewel and Beth went to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville Florida, and finally where I traveled to the Saint Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf coast to take photos of wildlife and do some walking. All-in-all our visit with Beth was not only a great personal reunion, it was a 3 day excursion into another world. Hopefully it won't be too long before Beth will pay Madison a visit and we can show her the changes that have occurred since she was last here.

I've included some photos that I took representing some old Georgia structures that I plan to paint and draw, some shots of Thomasville including its downtown street, some of Pebble Hill Plantation, and a few of Saint Marks. I hope you enjoy the.

Pete

Common Structures Show

2008-07-22T06:05:00.000-07:00

Hello interested reader.

The opening of my latest exhibit, which is a collaborative effort with photographer and friend Tim Reilly, is up and running at the Lyndon House Art Center in Athens Georgia. We had been preparing for this for almost 10 months, creating posters, preparing frames with the help of some pro framer friends, creating email notices and sending them out, creating and printing invitations, designing signage and installing this at the Gallery, purchasing food items for the reception, plants for the floral arrangements, and, to top off all this, we were finalizing our art pieces right up to the week preceding the show.

It's been a hectic few months and it was well worth it to see the interested viewers that came to the opening, asking questions about our techniques, our vision, making comments on what specific pieces meant to them. Most show openings that I have attended had lots of folks talking with each other, enjoying the company and the refreshments, but rarely actually taking real notice or interest in the art itself. It was very refreshing to see people at an opening who took real notice of the art and the purpose behind the exhibit. A lot of that can be attributed to my collaborator, Tim Reilly.

Aside from beautiful photography, Tim is very knowledgeable with historic preservation and has a deep feeling about the nature of fine old structures and what they are to our cultural landscape. I can probably say that Tim's interest in the subject is greater than my own and this shows in the structure of the exhibit itself. Every step of the way he reviewed what we were doing and made recommendations for improving everything from the wording to the design of the pieces. All of this helped make our presentation as professional as our limited resources allowed. Thanks Tim.

Another great help was having the enthusiasm of the gallery's curator, Nancy Lukasciewicz. Nancy was there for us whenever we had any questions concerning the gallery's logistics, the Center's support facilities, mailing out invitations, distributing information to the community, etc. And, at the reception, she and her assistants Shannon and Patricia stayed almost 2 hours past the closing time to allow additional visitors to come and to stay and look around. On a normal "Gallery closed" day, this went far beyond the pale. We weren't surprised at this level of assistance and dedication from these fine people who have demonstrated such devotion and professionalism throughout. What a fine group and a wonderful venue.

And then there are our wives, Jan Reilly and Jewel Muzyka without whom none of this could have been possible. They put up with us through our anxieties about the show and the financial excesses with the cost of set-up. They helped with arrangements of food, drapery and prudent advice every step of the way. And not the least was there gracious co-hosting throughout the reception. We are so lucky to have them as our life partners.

If you get the opportunity, please stop by the Lyndon House Art Center and see this great place. Our exhibit is but a small part of what one can experience in this fine facility.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Talk to you soon.

Trip to Pennsylvania and Maryland

2008-07-11T04:31:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader

I have returned from a trip up north. Every year I visit my parents and other relatives in Pennsylvania. This year there were 3 special reasons to take the long trip. My parents were celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. I needed to complete 9 pen and ink drawings for my upcoming show. And, one of my artist colleagues who was part of the ArtBiz Breakthrough Program invited me to visit her studio and discuss art techniques and marketing ideas.
Fortunately for me, my wife Jewel decided to take the trip with me. It's a long drive and a flight would have been even longer as the layover in New Jersey is almost a day long. It gave us a chance to discuss plans for the future of my art business. It has been over a year since we had made a decision to leave commercial art and concentrate on my fine art career. The economy decided to take this opportunity to drop into the toilet. Art sales are down. I have been the gallery director at the Pantheon Fine Art Gallery in Madison since last October. We had developed several interesting and diverse art shows over the last 10 months with shows centering around my egg tempera works, gallery artists' work, Black History Month celebration show, a spring visual arts festival, "Georgia in Bloom", and, to top all this off, a fabulous equine art show this May through early July. Sales were dismal even though we had finely targeted audiences, excellent variety of price ranges on the works, great opening receptions, and very good advertising and press release articles. Art is an especially hard sell during an economic downturn. Now the gallery owners have decided to close the gallery and I must make some hard decisions. Find a new gallery for my work, get another commercial art job, or become a hermit. In the meantime I am the second party in a two person show at the Lyndon House in Athens Georgia, a great art venue.
I completed the 9 pen and ink drawings in record time (for me) under the watchful eyes of my parents who have never really seen me at work with my art. I think they got a new perspective on my passion for drawing. I've attached 2 of the pieces that I had completed while up north.
Then I had the distinct pleasure of meeting, in person, Lynne Oaks, the artist who has been a member of our ArtBiz Breakthrough group. She was not only very charming, she also displayed a vast resource of knowledge on the arts and excellent talent in her own paintings. She teaches students in her vast studio and it's plain to see that the knowledge that she imparts is well received and progresses her students into professional art levels. I find it very comforting to know that there are professional artists out there who are willing to share their knowledge and to share it with talented beginners. Maybe the computer won't kill the tactile art world after all.
Well, now I must get ready for my show opening this afternoon and at my next post I will share photos of the art venue.

The Skill of Drawing

2008-06-25T05:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Reader

Over the years I have been approached by many people, artists and non-artists alike, who were interested to know what special skill is primary in creating a good representational painting. Whether in egg tempera, acrylics, oils or pastel, a good representational work requires a knowledge of drawing. One of the first things a child does when they get their hands on a crayon, pencil, or chalk is to begin drawing. Lines, curves, scribbles, they go wild with drawn lines. Not coloring in broad areas, not even particularly choosing a color. Drawing lines and shapes. It is primary for human beings to want to place marks on a surface to express ourselves. Letters, musical notes, drawn lines and shapes. It all goes towards the same purpose, communicating our feelings.

As we become more sophisticated with our abilities we will create a musical piece, write a thesis, draw an image. As a visual artist, probably the onee thing I am most proficient at is drawing. I prepare my egg tempera paintings by first drawing my composition on a paper, then my painting panel refining as I go. Only after my drawing is to my liking do I start adding paint. That being said, on July 11th I am exhibiting over 20 of my pen and ink drawings in Athens Georgia at the Lyndon House Fine Art Center. Many of these drawings were the inspiration for paintings I have done. Some may end up as future paintings.

Some of the most important aspects of drawing that I feel are imperative to a good representation piece are composition, perspective, weight, and texture. Let me take each of these items and explain what I find important in them.

Composition, probably the most important element in good drawing, is organizing the arrangement of elements in the drawing space. The importance is to get the viewer to follow the image elements towards the center of interest of your drawing while developing a pleasing layout. A good composition will automatically attract the viewer. Guidelines towards a good composition are fairly specific but are only guidelines. In the long run, the artist must use their own intuitive nature to create their recognized style. Some of my guidelines include: 1) deciding on and creating the primary focal point, the area that you want your viewer to eventually concentrate on, 2) determining the foreground, middle ground, and background of the image, 3) balancing of elements in the piece to keep create a work that is not overweighted in one spot, 4) adding weight which help make the elements feel as though they exist on an actual plane and are not floating in space (unless you have something deliberately floating in space). Along with these I include detailing through shading or crosshatching, using negative areas to attract attention towards or away from objects, creating interesting shapes within the composition, and more.

I hope that you are able to visit the Lyndon House show where my drawings are balanced with the beautiful fine art photography of Tim Reilly, a Madison artist who creates his special images through the camera's lens.

Have a great day.

Pete

Friends in Art

2008-06-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

Hi All

One of the most rewarding aspects of being an artist and getting involved publicly with an art community is the great friends that you make over the years. It has been my pleasure to be associated with visual artists, sculptors, musicians, photographers, writers, artists of many stripes over my artistic lifetime.

One of the very first was my mentor and art teacher in 9th grade, Andrew Palencar. Andy taught interested students the most sophisticated techniques from the old masters like Rembrandt and Vermeer and he really knew his stuff. I distinctly remember an exhibit of his works at Wilkes College when I was in the 11th grade that demonstrated his mastery of the human figure. It was a restricted show at the time because one of Andy's paintings was titled "Nude" and young people weren't permitted to view the show. With Andy's help I was able to sneak in (in secrecy) and get an in spiring look at his fine workmanship and his genius. Andy passed away a few years back from complications after heart bypass surgery. Sad to say I cannot find one reference to Andy's actual work on the internet, although several of his former students have given him the highest credit for their artistic success.

Things have come a long way since then. Now we can have our works posted on the internet as well as in galleries all over the world, even if we did paint a nude. I'm proud to say that I developed a life long love of art, whether I produce it or someone else does, in most part due to the insight that Andy gave me about the artist vision. It seems that many non-artists feel as though artistic works are just a cast off of one's innate abilities and not worth a serious examination. I've noticed over the months that I have been director at the Pantheon Fine Art Gallery that many browsers give but a cursory glance at works on exhibit.

All artistic expression is an insight into the artist's psyche, what is on their mind, in their heart, and what they want the public to know about them as well as the subject matter. Different artists present this in a variety of ways through music, painting, acting, sculpting, writing, etc. and through varying levels of proficiency. Either way you look at it, artistic expression is one of the most profound means of communication and examples of historical perspective on a region, an era, and a peoples' mindset at any given time. That makes art one of the most valuable resources that civilization has to offer to mankind.

So, the next time you visit a show, or see some work on-line, try to remember that you aren't just viewing someone's creation, you are getting a first hand look at history in the making.

Just some thoughts for today. Thank you for taking the time to read them and I am interested in your opinion.

Pete

New happenings

2008-06-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

Another Monday and I must say that I'm glad to see this weekend behind me. Saturday morning was a shock when I discovered that my main hard drive with all of my customers' images was not mounting. I spent the entire day trying out different solutions but to no avail. I should have been doing my artwork instead of wasting time on the computer. Anyway, I have someone looking to at least retrieve the files next week while I am in Pennsylvania.

Sunday morning, around 7 am, I routinely put wild bird seed in our outside bird feeders and scatter some on the ground outside my studio. It was early and I was still in my bedroom slippers. Stepping back after spreading the bird seed I stepped on something soft. When I looked down and lifted my foot I saw what I stepped on. A coiled rattlesnake. I had stepped directly in the center and somehow it prevented the snake from striking. As you might guess I had the biggest adrenaline rush ever. I had never expected a rattler to be in my yard but now I watch every place that I step.

I did get some drawing done later in the day Sunday and I'm making progress with a planned show in Athens Georgia starting July 11.

Take care, and watch where you step.

Pete

Payment for work done

2008-06-12T03:54:00.000-07:00

Well here we are again, discussing creating art. Instead of talking about how I make art using the egg tempera medium, allow me to hit on a subject that most of us small business owners must deal with, payment for our work.

As we all know, creating art is not an inexpensive process. There is the education, the years of experience, and the supplies, not to mention the overhead: electricity, space, heating/air conditioning, easels, drawing table, camera, etc., show invitations, ads and more, all tend to add up costing us thousands of dollars. And yet, even though we work hard to develop a style, produce product that gives beauty and value to peoples' lives, getting paid what our work deserves can be one of our most difficult hurtles in the creative process.

It's been an uphill battle over my entire career and when the economy goes south, that is the toughest time to sell art. Besides my own egg temperas and other works I am responsible for the sales of works by other artists through the Pantheon Fine Art Gallery at which I am the director.

Recently we promoted a special show on equine art pieces. Targeted a market that love the subject. We placed posters around the area almost a month in advance of the opening, sent out 500 invitations to interested horse owners, ranches, regional art buyers, and personally visited guest ranches. We sent press releases to all of the regional media as well as art groups and visitor centers. On opening night, May 30, 2008 where a show would probably have 150-250 attendees, we had around 50. Slow economy? The featured artist had wonderful pieces ranging in price from $150 to $5,000. Eight other artists in a second floor gallery had beautiful works priced from $150 to $2,000. To date 4 pieces have sold in the $250 to $700 range.

I should say, I also print Giclée fine art and art photography works for artists. Usually the customer pays promptly but since this economic downturn, I am finding payments are coming later and later. At a time when supplies are getting more expensive and work is getting harder to come by, getting paid late is not very helpful.

These are tough times to make a living as an artist and it will surely be a test of our creative resolve.

Painting the Rural Scene

2008-06-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

I have been drawing and painting ever since I can remember. I spent most of my formative years on a farm in rural Pennsylvania. Expressing my feelings about nature with pencil and paint came second nature to me. I would even sketch my father's friends when he would be playing cards. It was not until I was in 9th grade and learning structured art techniques under the guidance of my art teacher Andrew Palencar in 1961 that I discovered that my mother had a fine ability to draw, although my dad discouraged her from self expression. Her uncle Steve also drew and wrote books. I guess that this is where most of my creative spirit sprang from.

Andy Palencar started teaching me old master techniques, I was especially drawn to glazing. It was after I had been in the military for several months during the Vietnam conflict when I found out that one of my teachers had come to our house with the offer of a college scholarship in Architecture. It took me 12 years before I was finally able to return to school and work towards a degree in commercial art. During those 12 years I had traveled far and wide with the US Navy, went to many Navy schools and visited several countries. I kept drawing and painting in my spare time and did paintings for friends in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam as well as my fellow sailors and units. I visited many museums, read lots of books on art and it was a Navy friend, John Beckvermit, who gave me a copy of a book on egg tempera in 1982. I had dabbled in the medium before that but it was through reading this book, The Practice of Tempera Painting by Daniel V. Thompson, Jr., that I came to begin to understand the value and technique of working with egg tempera.

After 1982 my interest in this medium became intense and I worked with it every chance I could. I've painted on many surfaces including masonite, Strathmore illustration board, 300# watercolor paper in cold press and hot press, but m ost of my panels are prepared on cabinet grade birch plywood. I use rabbit skin glue for the sealer, tradition glue gesso for the white ground, and if the panel is thin, I will cradle the back. I have posted a detail of my preparation and working technique on my web site, http://www.petermuzyka.com.

I'll detail more of what and why I paint in future blog posts.

Thank you for reading my blog.

Pete

Art Pieces in Egg Tempera

2008-06-06T04:08:00.000-07:00

Hello
Here are some of the art pieces that I have painting over the years using egg tempera. Most are painted on hardboard panels whowever some were painted using 300# watercolor paper. I have also employed water soluble graphite, pastel, and India ink in my egg tempera paintings.
The Ibis painting was done 1n 2007 and painted on a birch panel. The farmhouse with the red roof was painted in 2004 and also domne on a birch panel.
The out building was painted in 1984 and I used agesso coated masonite hardboard panel as the support.
No captured image can compare with the true beauty of the colors in an original egg tempera painting.

Painting in egg tempera

2008-06-06T03:54:00.000-07:00

Hello
I paint mostly in the medium of egg tempera. It is an ancient technique using egg yoke and pigment over an ink drawing on an absorbent ground. Because of the brittle nature of the final dried painting, the work is painted on a solid support such as a wood panel. I've been painting in this medium for over 30 years and have developed my own technique of handling the medium. I also have successfully painted with the egg mixture on archival watercolor paper. As I post future blogs, I will outline my technique for painting in this fascinating medium and why I feel that it is well worth exploring for many of today's artists. In the meantime, please visit my website at www.petermuzyka.com to see some of my work, read my philosophy on painting the vanishing rural American landscape, and view some of my other works in oils, pen and ink, etc.